BearShare: Penina Davidson
Penina Davidson likes to take things 1% at a time.
"It's a little philosophy I learned at Cal," Davidson explained. "If I want to get to a certain point, I can't get to a certain point without taking the little one-percent moments on the way. I need to take care of the one-percent moments, because they'll eventually add up. I always say that to myself--whenever I get really down--'Enjoy the one percent moments.' For me, sometimes, it's getting a really good coffee. I love those moments."
Those one percent moments have added up on the court for the senior this year. As starting power forward for the Golden Bear women's basketball team, Davidson is having her strongest season, contributing 8.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game this season for the Bears, including a season high of 22 points (at Pacific) and 12 rebounds (twice).
In an extensive interview with Bear Insider, Davidson also talked about her family, growing up in New Zealand, and the importance of being a role model for young people.
Davidson is very cognizant of how much she's grown in the last few years off the court. While Davidson acknowledges that coming to play basketball and attend college at Cal has not always been easy, she is better for the experience.
"America has pushed and challenged me in ways that I don't think I would have been challenged in New Zealand," said Davidson. "I am so grateful for how much I've managed to grow in a space like Cal. Cal, specifically, due to the environment I'm in. The Berkeley environment--the freedom, liberal, all of that has allowed me to explore different aspects of what it means to be in your twenties. What I've noticed about Cal is that it just doesn't stop; you're just constantly learning. Even though things might not change necessarily, you do, and you learn to get better in that space."
To listen to the full interview, please see link below.
Some other topics we chatted about:
00:15 How to pronounce her first name
02:30 Losing her NZ accent
03:30 Family
06:00 The family alarm clock
06:45 Hot Christmas
07:45 Playing basketball with Dad
10:00 How she came to the U.S.
13:45 "The Bridge still works!"
15:40 Being pushed and challenged at Cal
18:45 Going to the wrong classroom
19:30 Studying behavior on a group level
21:30 Moana the movie's impact
23:05 Being a role model to kids
23:45 Tatoos
25:10 Perspective as a senior
26:30 Keeping each other accountable
30:15 Opening up opportunities for girls
31:45 "Go Bears!"